As many students living on campus last year will remember, in 2014, Tufts University competed against other universities across the nation in the annual waste reduction competition known as RecycleMania. For months TuftsRecycles!, a part of Facilities Services comprised of student interns, pushed students to recycle more effectively by pitting dorms and specialty houses against each other to see who knew how to recycle the best. Leaderboards were posted in dining halls, and after two rounds of grading bins based on their content, winning dorms and houses were chosen. In all, RecycleMania got students excited about recycling, and for students who are always excited about sustainability like the TuftsRecycles! interns, it was a very rewarding experience.
So, why not do it again? Unfortunately, Tufts University will not be participating in RecycleMania 2015. TuftsRecycles! is currently in a state of change that has our capacity limited for the time being. Dawn Quirk, our beloved Recycling Coordinator, has spent the last 10 years revolutionizing our sustainability programs at Tufts in countless ways, but now it is time for her to pursue a career with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. While we miss her deeply, we at TuftsRecycles! are very excited to continue making sustainable practices a reality on our campus.
With change comes new ideas and possibilities, and the interns at TuftsRecycles! are busy with many projects that we can't wait to get up and running. The spirit of RecycleMania lives on in the actions of each student on campus, and we encourage you to get educated on what goes in which bin and how to reduce your waste. Come 2016, RecycleMania will be in full swing, and TuftsRecycles! will be there to make it happen.
Clayton Woolery, TuftsRecycles! Intern
Letter to the Tufts Community: Why Tufts will not participate in RecycleMania ’15
